Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 41% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 62% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PEN 9.74

$1.94 ฿63.5

47.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$18.64 ฿609

48.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 PEN 23.65

$7.82 ฿255

-11.13%

Cappuccino

$1.88 PEN 6.41

$1.95 ฿63.8

-3.59%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$0.85 ฿27.77

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 PEN 1.38

$0.35 ฿11.58

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.50

$2.13 ฿69.6

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.02

$3.73 ฿122

2.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.71 ฿56.0

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.63 ฿53.2

37.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.20

$1.14 ฿37.15

7.89%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 7.86

$1.93 ฿63.1

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 PEN 27.73

$16.21 ฿530

-49.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 PEN 19.73

$3.12 ฿102

85.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.54

$10.90 ฿356

-28.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 PEN 6.71

$2.75 ฿90.0

-28.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$1.21 ฿39.52

-44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$1.62 ฿53.0

-73.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$1.59 ฿51.8

-28.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$1.40 ฿45.70

-52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.75

$1.17 ฿38.17

-56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.80

$0.66 ฿21.60

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$0.53 ฿17.22

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 PEN 19.14

$4.69 ฿153

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 PEN 24.65

$18.66 ฿609

-61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 PEN 5.72

$1.80 ฿58.8

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PEN 8.31

$3.23 ฿106

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 PEN 11.42

$1.41 ฿45.91

138.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$1.29 ฿42.12

69.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 PEN 27.74

$7.84 ฿256

3.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.27 ฿41.58

7.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-10.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K PEN 83.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

10.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$56.0 PEN 190

$69.1 ฿2,256

-18.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.44 PEN 42.31

$14.08 ฿460

-11.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 PEN 81.0

$18.00 ฿588

32.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 PEN 24.03

$5.92 ฿193

19.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$223 PEN 757

$299 ฿9,766

-25.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,987 PEN 27.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-46.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 PEN 172

$54.7 ฿1,787

-7.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 PEN 125

$26.77 ฿874

36.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 PEN 306

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 PEN 309

$70.6 ฿2,306

28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,312

$801 ฿26.2K

-51.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 PEN 1,591

$617 ฿20.2K

-24.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

102.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 32% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Cerro de Pasco vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Cerro de Pasco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cerro de Pasco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $770 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $514 in Cerro de Pasco and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.